


Cancer, Cancer

by Cassie (erectoProctologist)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Cancer, Humanstuck, M/M, Sadstuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 22:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/841970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erectoProctologist/pseuds/Cassie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat has cancer. He won't last long. His friends try to make it better for him in his last days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cancer, Cancer

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

The machine marked a steady pace through the night, cutting through the humming of the building and its many unfortunate inhabitants.

At first, it unnerved him. Hearing his own pulse, his life force, filtered down to an insignificant _beep_ , it didn’t leave him entirely comfortable.

But soon enough, he became used to it. Unlike his multitude of assigned nurses, his various school friends that awkwardly visited with their parents or of their own misguided volition, the sound was a constant. As long as his heart was beating, it would be there.

Then he began to latch onto it, holding onto every beat. It reminded him that he _wasn’t dead, that he was still there_ , even when he faded in and out of a drug-induced hell.

His hair had fallen out long ago, in fistfuls, the black curls befouling the bedsheets and his gown. He’d stood, all told, about ten minutes for this entire procedure.

And even then, there wasn’t that much hope.

Everybody who’d visited had had a plastic smile, a false cheery tone. Like everything was really going to be okay. And in return, he’d offered the exact fucking same, a fake smile to go with his pasty expression, and he was sure he looked a hell of a lot worse when he did.

And that only made them act happier around him.

But he’d heard the sobs outside of his room, through the door. Sometimes their feet moved together-a hug. He knew the routine of it now.

And it disgusted him.

_Thokthokthok_.

A visitor? At nine fucking thirty? He was tired as all hell, the drugs kicking in, deadening the pain and his senses.

“Come in.” he droned groggily.

And in fucking walked Jade, John, and Dave.

“Well, the gangs’ all fucking here, hm?” Karkat grumbled.

“We’re sorry to bother you so late.” Jade warbled cheerily.

He eyed her closely. There was a deep sadness in her eyes.

“What do you guys want?”

“Karkat,” John squeaked, his voice cracking, “we just want t-to talk, is all.”

Dave showed no emotion. “Yeah, man. Just came to check up on the old kk.”

Karkat looked over them all, John’s stupid cowlick, Jade’s goofy smile, Dave’s dumbass shades.

He loved them all, yeah.

What a bad time to think about that.

He swallowed gruffly and looked to Jade, who was rummaging in her shoulder bag.

“We brought you something.” She smiled as she handed him a small, wrapped box. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the paper had crude, hand-drawn renditions of him in a repeating pattern, saying ‘fuckass’ to nobody in particular.

“Well isn’t this fucking charming.”

Dave raised a hand halfheartedly. “I drew the paper, dog.”

“Once again, your wonderful artistic skills outshine all. Great job.”

Dave chuckled, leaning back in his seat and putting his hands behind his head.

He tore up a corner with a withered fingernail, careful not to tear the paper. Underneath was a yellowed white jewelry box, about five inches long and one wide.

“Oh  joy. I get to deck myself out in all of the snazziest bling. Lovely.”

“Oh, shut up and open it, you big dummy.”

He lifted the lid to find…a cancer necklace. His fingers looped through the worn chain, the emblem showing its age with black smudges.

“What’s this.” he uttered gruffly.

“We went snooping around your attic.” John stated. “In a rotten old box, we found this old box. It belonged to your grandfather.”

“There’s also a note somewhere. Turns out you were in his will.”

“Yeah, it’s under the cushion in the box.” Jade said lightly. He made to lift the cushion. “Put the necklace on first, silly!”

Leaning forward, he clasped the necklace around his frighteningly skinny neck.

The cold silver pressed against his chest, a chilling reminder of his grandfather’s campaign.

“That’s pretty slick, man.” Dave drawled.

“Thank you for your wonderfully homoerotic commentary.” He shot Dave a ghost of a smile.

A puff of dust rose when the cushion finally popped out.

“Is it in there?” John asked, leaning forward.

“Yeah..”

“Well, what’s it say?” Jade urged.

He overturned the box, torn fragments of what used to be the note fluttering about the bed.

Silence gripped the room.

“That fucking _tears it._ ” A tear traced down his cheeks.

“My grandfather’s _last **fucking** words, _written _only_ for _me,_ as the day that I die _rapidly approaches,_ and they get fucking TORN UP IN TRANSIT.

The first time anybody in my _hellhole_ of a family tries to make something meaningful to me, and it turns to fucking powder in the box.” His voice wavered with sobs, tears flowing freely.

“Now, Karkat, don’t be mad, man.” Dave put a hand on his shoulder.

Jade locked her eyes on the floor, cheeks burning red.

“Jade, no, don’t beat yourself up, it’s not your-” Karkat started.

“Everything has gone to _shit_ without you, Karkat! Terezi’s slowly going nuts in her room, whiling away the time with her delusional court games! Sollux hasn’t even mustered the confidence to come here because he doesn’t think he’ll _keep from crying in front of you._ Eridan is going insane, because nobody’ll talk to him except for you, and you’ll be gone! John’s gone to shit, Dave’s gone to shit, _I’ve gone to shit, Karkat, and we can’t stand to lose you._ ” She hiccupped, her cheeks shining. “You held this group together. And it hurts…it hurts me to see you like this.”

Abruptly, she stood and left the room, wiping her eyes.

John and Dave looked at each other.

“Why don’t you go-” Dave started.

“Yeah.” John stood and left, closing the door lightly.

“Ironic, isn’t it…” Karkat fondled the necklace in his fingers. “that my constellation would kill me.”

Dave’s composure broke, and he let loose a sob. “Fuck, Karkat. I don’t want to lose you. Remember ‘suplex’ in the Ms. Hale’s art class? Shit like that, I don’t forget. We’ve been really great friends. I-” he sobbed, “I don’t want you to leave, just like that, man.”

Dave leaned over and pressed his face into Karkat’s chest, wrapping his arms around him as best he could.

His heartbeat thudded in Dave’s ear, echoed by the machine in the corner.

And this once, Karkat hugged back, pulling Dave close as his tears wet the back of Dave’s shirt.

“I-I love you, Karkat. I don’t know what it matters anymore, but I do. Fuck I do.”

His face reddened, and he pulled Dave’s chin up with one finger, leveling his eyes with Dave’s.

“There isn’t much to do about it.” he whispered. “But we have now.”

He leaned in for a tender kiss, Dave’s lips every bit as soft and alluring as they had always seemed.

“I love you too, Dave.”

Dave chuckled, his breath tickling his neck. “A hell of a time to know, huh?” his voice faltered, and he looked into Karkat’s eyes.

“But really, was there a better time?” He leaned in to kiss again, softly. “Now go. Tell them I wanted to sleep.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, right?” Dave asked.

Karkat sighed.

“As long as there is one.”

He pecked Dave on the forehead. “Goodnight, Dave.”

He walked to the door, adjusting his shades. “Goodnight, KK.”

He flicked the light and shut the door quietly.

 

And then it was Karkat and the machine, beeping into the night.

 

He fell asleep with a smile for the first time in years.

**Author's Note:**

> i was writing sadstuck and suddenly BOOM davekat


End file.
